Basell announced today that it plans to build a new Hostalen Advanced Cascade Process (ACP) high density polyethylene (HDPE) plant at the Muenchsmuenster industrial site near Munich, Germany. Basell’s first generation Hostalen process plant at Muenchsmuenster was damaged by an explosion and fire in December 2005.
Subject to the necessary approvals, there will be a complete rebuild of the damaged 120 KT polymerization unit based on the latest generation Hostalen ACP technology as well as a new extrusion unit. Start-up is planned for beginning of 2009. The plant design will accommodate future expansion to 150 KT.
“Muenchsmuenster is an important manufacturing location to serve our European customers,” said Werner Breuers, president of Basell’s European Polyolefins Business. “By rebuilding Muenchsmuenster with state-of-the-art Hostalen ACP technology, which we currently use at our Wesseling, Germany site and at our Basell Orlen Polyolefins Polish joint venture location, we will upgrade the manufacturing site and ensure the long term supply of our most advanced HDPE grades.”
Just Jansz, president of Basell’s Technology Business, said “Basell’s new Hostalen ACP technology can produce high performance multi-modal HDPE. These grades offer advantages in demanding customer applications such as high pressure pipes, caps & closures, blow moulding and specialty film.”
Basell’s complete portfolio of licensed technologies is comprised of:
• Spheripol – polypropylene technology for the production of homopolymer, random and heterophasic copolymers
• Spherizone – latest generation polypropylene technology based on new multi-zone reactor technology
• Spherilene – swing gas phase process for the production of LLDPE, MDPE and HDPE
• Hostalen - low-pressure slurry process for the production of bi-modal HDPE
• Lupotech T – high pressure tubular reactor process for the production of LDPE and EVA copolymers
• Metocene - technology for production of specialty polypropylene products based on proprietary single-site catalyst systems
Basell also produces and commercialises advanced catalyst systems which are sold under the Avant trade name.
Basell is the world's largest producer of polypropylene and advanced polyolefin products, a leading supplier of polyethylene and catalysts, and a global leader in the development and licensing of polypropylene and polyethylene processes. Basell, together with its joint ventures, has manufacturing facilities around the world and sells products in more than 120 countries. Additional information about Basell is available at www.basell.com.
For more information contact Michelle Harrell, Basell Corporate Communications, at
+1 302 438 6574 or michelle.harrell@basell.com
